NSG commando Niranjan cremated at Kerala village

Family of lieutenant colonel Niranjan Kumar, who died while defusing a grenade in Pathankot, mourn on the arrival of Kumar's mortal remains at his residence in Bangalore on January 4, 2016. AFP

Palakkad (Kerala): NSG commando Lt Col EK Niranjan, who was killed in the counter-offensive against terrorists at the Pathankot air base on Sunday, was cremated in Kerala on Tuesday.

At his Elumbulsherry village in Palakkad district, people stayed awake through the night after his body was brought here on Monday evening.

Hundreds of people made a bee line to his ancestral home to have one last glimpse of the brave warrior who laid down his life defending his country.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on late Monday arrived at the Elumbulsherry village and paid homage to the departed soldier.

Niranjan's father Sivarajan, a retired employee, was calm. He said: "I am proud of my son as he has laid down his life for the country."

"His stint with the NSG was to get over in another three months and he had planned to celebrate his daughter's second birthday as he could not take part in the first birthday celebrations since he was undergoing training in the US."

On Tuesday morning, the elders and religious leaders conducted the last rites and Niranjan was cremated at his ancestral house.

The Kerala government was represented at the cremation by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. The state government also directed that at 11 a.m all the schools in the state should observe a minute's silence in memory of Niranjan.

Various units of the air force, army and Kerala Police also bid a ceremonial farewell to the departed.